An odd scene unfolded during the Indianapolis Colts’ 23-20 defeat to the Houston Texans on Sunday late in the third quarter.
Indy was trailing by 10 points and had the ball on Houston’s 23-yard-line, so it was a critical juncture of the game. On a second down, quarterback Anthony Richardson scrambled around the field, just as he had done on the previous play, and was sacked to bring up third-and-long. However, Richardson then tapped his helmet and removed himself from the game in a moment that could be the defining moment of his career.
Richardson headed to the sideline and took a knee as backup Joe Flacco came in to hand the ball off on that third down, which then led to Indy connecting on a field goal on fourth down.
Many suspected that the frequently injured Richardson was hurt, and many Colts fans may privately have hoped that was the case.
After the game, Richardson was asked why he removed himself for one play, and while his candid nature might be admirable, it brings up lots of questions regarding his makeup as a football player.
The admission attracted a wave of criticism from former players, coaches, those in the media, and some in his own locker room.
Colts four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly said he had a conversation with Richardson after hearing those comments and that he would keep what was said between them, but Kelly also let it slip that Richardson deserves some blame.
Perhaps if Richardson was having a banner season, or a simply average season, then what happened during the game, and what was said afterwards, wouldn’t have sparked so much conversation. The No. 4 overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft finished Sunday’s loss completing 10 of 32 passes (31.3 percent) while being sacked five times, fumbling twice, and throwing an interception.
With the lack of production he’s supplying Indianapolis, and with the seemingly unheard-of act of a quarterback willingly removing himself for a play, Richardson’s hold on the Colts’ starting job might have decreased.
“We are evaluating everything,” said head coach Steichen when he was asked by the press if Richardson would be starting next Sunday versus the Minnesota Vikings.
A follow-up questioner asked if Richardson was still Indy’s starting quarterback.
“Right now, today, he is, yes,” Steichen said.
The Colts knew they were taking a bit of a gamble in drafting Richardson so highly after a very brief career at the University of Florida. During his three years in Gainesville, Richardson redshirted his first season, started one game in his second, and started 12 games in his final year. The 13 college starts are the fewest by any quarterback drafted in the first round since 2000, so Richardson had “project” written all over him.
Now his career could be at a crossroads and it has more to do with a 10-second soundbite than the year-and-a-half he’s spent in the NFL. The fact that Steichen is considering benching what was supposed to be his franchise quarterback for a 39-year-old Flacco indicates just as much. It’s a somewhat similar situation to last year’s top overall pick in the Panthers’ Young, who was benched for 37-year-old Andy Dalton, except Young never subbed himself out of a game—which is a huge difference in an NFL locker room.
Richardson can still win over the Colts fan base, his teammates, and the entire organization with his play going forward, but it won’t be easy considering Indianapolis’ upcoming schedule.
If Richardson can pull through that gauntlet of a schedule, then he deserves just as much praise as the amount of criticism he’s gotten since Sunday. But first, we’ll have to see if he can survive this week and still be atop the Indy depth chart come Week 9 versus the Vikings.
